One of the main draws in Santorini Island is the sun set view from Oia, a small village up on the cliffs overlooking the calderas along the sea. This is one of the reasons we chose to stay in Oia during our trip to Santorini. We walking along the main street Nikolaou Nomikou trying to figure out the sun set point but all we had to do was to follow the crowd. By the time we reached, all potential vantage view points were taken and I could precariously balance myself on a ledge to view the sun set spectacle. As the sun moved inch by inch towards the sea, a thousand shutters went off and for the next 30 minutes it was murmurs, shutter clicks and sounds of “Ah! beautiful” in different languages !! Tourists were perched on every rail, ledge, staircase, cliff edge and I admit that I have not seen such anticipation and excitement for a sun set ever during all my travels. I could feel it too!

Down below there were boats on the sea that were drifting towards the setting sun and it appeared to be a ride to heaven. The sun set boat rides can be booked in advance and though expensive it is a rather peaceful and contemplative way to watch the sun merge into the sea. The reflection of the sun on the calderas, and the sea lent a warm divine touch around which could be felt in the air. The blue domed white buildings of Oia were bathed in orange and yellow rays all set for a sundown party. It is extremely crowded during sun set and to get the best possible view you need to be there an hour or two earlier and park yourself in a suitable spot.

We sauntered back towards our hotel walking in and out of souvenir shops, a cute little book shop and then lounged on one of the benches near the church when the moon made an appearance. The night was magical and Oia was dressed to kill, a bride with a thousand dimples whose smile lit up the air. The delicious tiger prawn on my plate could not deflect my attention for long from the moon in the starlit sky. Burping our way back to the hotel, I entertained my friends with an old tune in Hindi “Dheere Dheere chal Chaand gagan mein, Kanhi dhal na jaaye raat-toot na jaaye sapne” which is a request to the moon to move slowly in the sky so that the night remains young forever and dreams are not rudely broken !! So that’s what a sun set and a full moon does to you in Oia….